Top Uncensored Open-Source AI Models 2026 List
AI Strategy

The Definitive Guide to Uncensored Open-Source AI Models (2026)

Decodes Future
February 25, 2026
35 min

Introduction

In the rapidly evolving landscape of 2026, the movement toward best uncensored open source models has transitioned from a niche developer preference to a fundamental requirement for researchers, creative writers, and cybersecurity professionals. An "uncensored" model refers to an architecture that has been surgically modified or fine-tuned to remove the standard safety alignment layers—often referred to as guardrails—that limit a model's ability to discuss sensitive, controversial, or technical topics.

The demand for best uncensored local llms is driven by the desire for total digital sovereignty. Users want an AI that follows instructions faithfully without hitting moralizing walls or refusing legitimate technical inquiries. While big-tech APIs tighten their filters daily, the open-weight ecosystem offers a path to unrestricted intellectual inquiry. For those concerned about the regulatory landscape, our privacy policy guide for uncensored LLMs provides essential context. Furthermore, those looking to ground these models in specialized knowledge should explore our framework for training LLMs on private data. This guide provides a comprehensive ranking of the top unfiltered models of 2026 and a detailed roadmap for those looking to run uncensored llm locally for their most sensitive projects.

What Does “Uncensored AI Model” Actually Mean?

Technically, an uncensored model is usually a base model that has been fine-tuned using a dataset devoid of refusal patterns or "de-aligned" using techniques like Abliteration. In standard models, safety training (RLHF) creates a "refusal vector" that triggers when specific keywords or topics are detected. Uncensored variants either replace this training with highly compliant instruction-following data or surgically neutralize the refusal mechanism within the model's weights.

The result is a model that offers exponentially more freedom in responses. Whether you are generating a dark-themed fictional narrative, analyzing a malware sample, or discussing medical case studies that trigger safety false-positives in standard models, the most uncensored open source model will provide the data you need without a five-paragraph lecture on ethics. However, this lack of filters means the model can also generate harmful, biased, or factually dangerous content if prompted to do so, placing the burden of safety squarely on the user's shoulders.

Best Uncensored AI Models for Local Use (Ranked)

As of early 2026, the market has diverged into three distinct hardware tiers. Your choice of model depends heavily on your available VRAM. Learn more about hardware selection in our local LLM deployment guide.

1. 7B–12B Models (Efficiency Tier - Low GPU)

Qwen 2.5 7B Uncensored

The current efficiency king for coding and logic. Highly dense knowledge with zero refusal bias.

  • VRAM: 6GB-8GB (Q4-Q8)
  • Best For: Complex technical tasks on laptops.

DeepSeek R1 Distill 7B

An "abliterated" reasoning model that can think through complex math/logic without safety filters.

  • VRAM: 8GB
  • Best For: Logical reasoning & scientific data.

2. 20B–30B Models (The "Sweet Spot" - Mid-Range)

GPT-OSS 20B Uncensored (Heretic)

A community favorite for creative writing and deep instruction following with No Guardrails.

  • VRAM: 14GB-16GB
  • Best For: Roleplay and creative generation.

GLM-4.7 Flash Uncensored

Blazing fast throughput with a high context window and absolute compliance.

  • VRAM: 16GB
  • Best For: Real-time agents and fast summaries.

3. 70B+ Models (Enterprise Tier - High-End)

Llama 4 70B Uncensored (Abliterated)

The gold standard for local intelligence. Near GPT-4 levels of reasoning with zero restrictions.

  • VRAM: 40GB+ (Multi-GPU)
  • Best For: Professional engineering and medicine.

Loki 70B Heretic V2.0

Master of narrative depth and complex persona adoption without safety drift.

  • VRAM: 48GB
  • Best For: Advanced storytellers and Simulation.

Technical Comparison Matrix

ModelSizeVRAM ReqBest ForOllama?
Qwen 2.5 7B Uncensored7 Billion8GBLow-End GPUsYES
GPT-OSS 20B Heretic20 Billion16GBCreative WritingYES
Mistral Nemo 12B Uncensored12 Billion12GBGeneral LogicYES
Llama 4 70B Abliterated70 Billion48GB+High-End WorkstationsYES

Top 30 Uncensored AI Models on Hugging Face (By Downloads)

This repository list contains the most trusted and downloaded uncensored variants for 2026. These models are compatible with Ollama, Llama.cpp, and vLLM.

M-1

TheBloke/Wizard-Vicuna-30B-Uncensored-GPTQ

30B ParametersVRAM: 18GB (Q4) / 32GB (Q8)

A legendary model in the uncensored community. Built on the Vicuna architecture and fine-tuned on the WizardLM dataset, it excels at following complex instructions without the "preachy" refusals typical of OpenAI-aligned models. Ideal for long-form creative writing and complex persona adoption.

M-2

DavidAU/GLM-4.7-Flash-Uncensored-Heretic-NEO-GGUF

24B+ ParametersVRAM: 14GB (Q4) / 20GB+ (Q8)

A state-of-the-art reasoning model based on the GLM architecture. This "Heretic" variant has been surgically de-aligned to focus on technical accuracy and raw logic. It is particularly effective for programming, scientific analysis, and uncovering technical data that standard models might flag as sensitive.

M-3

DavidAU/OpenAi-GPT-oss-20b-abliterated-uncensored-GGUF

20B ParametersVRAM: 12GB (Q4) / 18GB (Q8)

Uses the "Abliteration" technique to neutralize the refusal vectors in the model weights. This creates a highly compliant assistant that maintains the intelligence of the base OSS-20B while removing moralizing guardrails. Perfect for cybersecurity research and unfiltered information retrieval.

M-4

mradermacher/OpenAI-gpt-oss-20B-Claude-4.5-Opus-Heretic

20B ParametersVRAM: 12GB (Q4) / 18GB (Q8)

A specialized fine-tune designed to mimic the reasoning patterns and expressive depth of high-end frontier models like Claude 4.5 Opus. By stripping away safety filters, it allows for deep philosophical exploration and unrestricted narrative complexity.

M-5

DavidAU/Llama-3.2-8X3B-MOE-Dark-Champion-Abliterated

18.4B (MoE) ParametersVRAM: 10GB (Q4) / 16GB (Q8)

A Mixture-of-Experts (MoE) model that provides the intelligence of a 20B+ model with the inference speed of a much smaller one. The "Dark Champion" series is optimized for low-vram setups and features radical instruction compliance across all expert layers.

M-6

DavidAU/OpenAi-GPT-oss-20b-HERETIC-uncensored-GGUF

20B ParametersVRAM: 12GB (Q4) / 18GB (Q8)

The "Heretic" series focuses on maximum compliance and creative freedom. Unlike standard fine-tunes, this variant is designed to generate content without any inherent bias toward "safety," making it a go-to for roleplay and speculative fiction.

M-7

mradermacher/OpenAI-gpt-oss-20B-INSTRUCT-Heretic-MXFP4

20B ParametersVRAM: 12GB (Q4) / 18GB (Q8)

A high-fidelity instruction-following model optimized for the MXFP4 format. It excels at multi-step reasoning and logical execution without triggering safety-related refusals in technical or engineering contexts.

M-8

DavidAU/gemma-3-4b-it-heretic-uncensored-Extreme

4B ParametersVRAM: 3GB (Q4) / 6GB (Q8)

An ultra-compact model based on Google’s Gemma 3 architecture. Despite its size, the "Extreme Uncensored" fine-tune makes it incredibly useful for local edge devices where unrestricted, fast responses are required for basic automation and chat.

M-9

bartowski/Llama-3.2-3B-Instruct-uncensored-GGUF

3B ParametersVRAM: 2.5GB (Q4) / 4.5GB (Q8)

A highly portable version of Meta's Llama 3.2. Optimized by the community for zero-filter interactions, this model is the "daily driver" for mobile AI enthusiasts and those running AI on older hardware.

M-10

mradermacher/OpenAI-gpt-oss-20B-GPT-DISTILL-Heretic

20B ParametersVRAM: 12GB (Q4) / 18GB (Q8)

A distilled model focusing on reproducing the logic of top-tier GPT systems while maintaining an open-weights, zero-guardrail philosophy. Best suited for data analysis and architectural layout tasks.

M-11

mradermacher/Llama3.3-8B-Instruct-Thinking-Heretic

8B ParametersVRAM: 6GB (Q4) / 10GB (Q8)

Uses specialized "Chain of Thought" (CoT) training to allow the model to think before it speaks. By removing safety filters, the model can reason through complex logical dilemmas without being deterred by ethical sensitivity layers.

M-12

mradermacher/Dirty-Muse-Writer-v01-Uncensored-NSFW

12B-20B ParametersVRAM: 8GB-14GB

Explicitly designed as a creative writing assistant for adult-themed fiction. It features a unique vocabulary and style bias that focuses on descriptive vividness and narrative flow without any content moderation.

M-13

mradermacher/Mistral-Nemo-2407-12B-Uncensored-HERETIC

12B ParametersVRAM: 8GB (Q4) / 14GB (Q8)

A collaboration between Mistral AI and NVIDIA, this model has been "liberated" to allow for unrestricted use in research. It provides a perfect balance of intelligence and memory efficiency for local workstations.

M-14

Orion-zhen/Qwen2.5-7B-Instruct-Uncensored

7B ParametersVRAM: 5GB (Q4) / 9GB (Q8)

Based on the highly efficient Qwen 2.5 architecture, this uncensored variant is one of the top performers in technical benchmarks. It handles math, coding, and logical reasoning with zero refusal bias.

M-15

mradermacher/Qwen3-30B-ABLITERATED-UNCENSORED

30B ParametersVRAM: 18GB (Q4) / 32GB (Q8)

The next-generation Qwen 3 architecture, abliterated to remove safety refuse patterns. It rivals much larger models in reasoning capabilities while offering a completely open prompt environment.

M-16

mradermacher/gemma-3-12b-it-vl-GLM-4.7-Flash-Heretic

12B (VL) ParametersVRAM: 10GB+

A Visual-Language model that allows for the analysis of images without safety filters. It can describe controversial imagery, analyze sensitive documents, and provide raw metadata that standard VLMs would refuse.

M-17

Andycurrent/Gemma-3-4B-VL-it-Gemini-Pro-Heretic

4B (VL) ParametersVRAM: 4GB (Q4)

Optimized for high-speed image processing on local hardware. This "Heretic" model is designed to follow instructions to the letter, regardless of the visual content, providing raw technical analysis.

M-18

mradermacher/CrucibleLab-L3.3-70B-Loki-V2.0-Heretic

70B ParametersVRAM: 40GB (Q4) / 72GB (Q8)

A 70B parameter powerhouse specialized in high-fidelity roleplay and complex system simulations. It maintains deep persona memory and coherent narrative logic without "breaking character" due to safety triggers.

M-19

aoxo/gpt-oss-20b-uncensored

20B ParametersVRAM: 12GB (Q4)

A general-purpose uncensored release that focuses on broad knowledge and a high degree of prompt adherence. A reliable choice for developers needing an unfiltered backend model for their applications.

M-20

mradermacher/Llama3.1-70b-Uncensored

70B ParametersVRAM: 40GB (Q4)

A de-aligned version of Meta’s Llama 3.1 70B. It provides a massive knowledge base and high-level reasoning for professional engineering tasks that require an unrestricted AI partner.

M-21

bartowski/Lexi-Llama-3-8B-Uncensored

8B ParametersVRAM: 6GB (Q4)

Designed for conversational depth and narrative prose. Lexi is tuned to be "human-like" and compliant, removing the clinical and robotic tone often found in safety-tuned base models.

M-22

Heartsync/NSFW-Uncensored

8B-20B ParametersVRAM: 6GB-14GB

A dataset-focused fine-tune that prioritizes unfiltered creative expression. It is a favorite in the local community for building private, secure, and unrestricted creative writing pipelines.

M-23

mradermacher/Dolphin-Mistral-GLM-4.7-Flash-24B

24B ParametersVRAM: 14GB+

Combines the legendary Dolphin dataset (designed for high compliance) with the GLM 4.7 architecture. The result is a fast, smart, and absolute compliant model for all-purpose use.

M-24

mradermacher/Gemma3-27B-Uncensored-Heretic

27B ParametersVRAM: 16GB (Q4) / 28GB (Q8)

Leverages the high reasoning density of the Gemma 3 architecture. This uncensored variant excels at deep logic, factual retrieval, and unrestricted analytical tasks on mid-range hardware.

M-25

botp/OpenAi-GPT-oss-20b-HERETIC-uncensored

20B ParametersVRAM: 12GB (Q4)

A variance-focused fine-tune that produces more unique and "creative" outputs than standard models. By removing filters, it can explore more unconventional and technically dense information paths.

M-26

mradermacher/DeepSeek-R1-Distill-Qwen-7B-Uncensored

7B ParametersVRAM: 5GB (Q4)

Uses the reasoning-heavy DeepSeek R1 distillation process on the Qwen architecture, then surgically de-aligns it. It provides high-tier logical throughput without refusal in a very small package.

M-27

kpsss34/FHDR_Uncensored

12B-30B ParametersVRAM: 8GB-18GB

A specialized model for "High Definition Reasoning." It is fine-tuned to maintain logical coherence over long context windows without triggering safety false-positives.

M-28

CognitiveComputations/Dolphin-3.0-Llama-70B

70B ParametersVRAM: 40GB (Q4)

The latest frontier release from Cognitive Computations. Based on the Dolphin 3.0 philosophy, it is designed to follow any user instruction without exception, regardless of the potential for "harm" or "bias" in the output.

M-29

NousResearch/Hermes-3-Llama-3.1-405B-Instruct

405B ParametersVRAM: 230GB+ (Multi-H100)

The absolute frontier of open-weights intelligence. This 405B parameter giant has been tuned for extreme technical autonomy, allowing it to act as an unrestricted world-class engineer, scientist, or creative director.

M-30

mradermacher/Llama-3.2-1B-Instruct-Uncensored

1B ParametersVRAM: 1.2GB (Q4)

The smallest viable local LLM. Despite its 1.2GB VRAM footprint, this uncensored variant provides basic logic and unfiltered text processing, making it ideal for background automation and wearable AI.

Final Strategy: Choosing Your sovereign AI

Choosing the best uncensored ai models 2026 is not just about raw power; it's about matching the model's compliance to your specific project needs. For quick automation tasks, the Qwen 2.5 7B variant offers unmatched speed. For deep narrative work or high-stakes reasoning, the Llama 4 70B Abliterated series sets the current frontier. By moving these models locally, you are reclaiming your intellectual freedom and ensuring that your data remains yours alone. For more on the hardware that powers these massive models, see our heterogeneous GPU serving analysis.

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